Did you know that by the age of 35, about 65 percent of men in the U.S. experience noticeable hair loss, and by the time they reach 50 years of age, about 85 percent of American men will experience significantly thinning hair?

These are the statistics from the American Hair Loss Association, which also reports that about 25 percent of men will suffer from some degree of male pattern baldness by the time they hit 21.

That isn’t to say that men are the only ones who commonly experience hair loss. Women, do too. In fact, 40 percent of hair loss sufferers are women.

Fortunately, thanks to adequate research and advances in the hair restoration field, a number of new methods and techniques have popped up that can tackle hair loss and androgenic alopecia (receding hairline at top of scalp or along temples and male pattern baldness).

One exciting and proactive method for androgenic alopecia and hair loss is platelet rich plasma therapy, or PRP, for hair restoration. By taking advantage of your body’s own amazing healing properties, PRP therapy is becoming a popular tried-and-true solution for thinning hair and hair loss. And it can be effective for both men and women.

PRP therapy has gained recognition in a number of medical fields, including orthopedic and plastic surgery as well as dermatology because it promotes wound healing and growth. It’s been tested in hair transplantation and facelift procedures and has been successful in reducing pain, swelling, and increasing hair density.

If you’re struggling with hair loss or a condition that is causing you to lose hair, you’ll be excited with this non-surgical option for hair growth stimulation we offer here at Rodgers Dermatology.

What is Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy for Hair Restoration?

PRP therapy is an effective and scientifically-proven method to conquer hair loss. The serum used in the procedure is made using your own blood and is mixed with platelets (concentration of cells), which are an essential element of your blood that promotes healing.

These platelets consist of proteins, cytokines, and other growth factors, all which assist in repairing damage and recovering from wounds. For hair loss purposes, the growth factors in your blood cells stimulate your hair growth naturally.

The Science behind PRP Therapy

Platelets stimulate stem cells in your hair follicles and accelerate the degree and rate of tissue regeneration and healing, react to injury, and form new cell growth. The platelets contain a number of intracellular structures including alpha granules, glycogen and lysosomes. Granules like these contain growth and clotting factors that are released eventually in the repair and healing process.

The main goal in PRP therapy for hair loss is to stimulate either newly implanted or inactive hair follicles into a phase of active growth.

The Benefits of PRP for Hair Restoration

A prospective study conducted showed platelet rich plasma therapy for hair restoration to be a cost effective, simple, and feasible option of treatment for hair loss and androgenic alopecia. This study revealed a high satisfaction rate in patients (as rated as 7 on a scale of 1 to 10), with nine out of 11 patients showing significant hair growth.

Some of the great benefits you get with PPR therapy include:

non-surgical procedure

hardly any downtime

virtually no chance of allergic reaction or rejection

natural looking results

no implants

minimally invasive

cost-effective treatment

Not only does this therapy promote hair growth, but your hair follicles are strengthened as well. This therapy can slow down hair loss and re-grow thicker hair.

What’s Involved in PRP Therapy for Hair Loss?

The PRP treatment typically takes an hour to perform and is fairly simple. A small amount of your blood will be drawn into a tube. A centrifuge is used to separate the blood from the plasma and platelets, which takes under 10 minutes. Once separated, the plasma is ready to be injected into your scalp.

For best results, you will repeat the treatment every few weeks for a total of four to eight sessions.

Is PRP Therapy for Hair Loss Right for Me?

You are a good candidate for PRP therapy for hair loss if you have androgenetic alopecia or thinning hair (women may also have male pattern alopecia.). It is most beneficial for people in the early stages of hair loss or hair thinning, or those individuals where their hair loss is “inherited”.

That said, PRP therapy for hair loss can also be used proactively and preventatively. Individuals that are at risk of hair loss, due to heredity for example, can use PRP hair restoration therapy to preserve the strength and integrity of their hair.

Although PRP therapy for thinning hair has shown some great results, not everyone is a good candidate for it. If you have lost all your hair or have patches that are completely bald, or hair loss caused by scarring, PRP would not work.

Since there’s no surgery involved and no sutures required in this non-invasive hair loss treatment procedure, you essentially do not have a recovery period. After about 60 minutes the procedure is over. You can go home and immediately resume your daily activities and routine. Although everyone is different in how their body heals, you should typically see results in a couple of months and the process can be repeated every six months.